A Southern Exploration: Basdaku, Moalboal

[karlo reyes]

Yesterday we decided to embark on an exploration going Southern part of Cebu. Our trip was just spontaneous that started out with an itch to shoot landscape that day. Initially our target was Kawasan Falls but due to the great number of tourists and locals going there, we decided to go to Moalboal instead. "Moalboal is foremost known as a place of great diving. The sleepy town lies on the west coast of Cebu, about 92 km south of Cebu City. You can cover the distance in about 2 1/2 with a car or bus."

Aside from the images and scenery we witnessed, its the learning and stories that made the "Moalboal trip" memorable. Just to kickoff our VISMIN Exploration we will start from here then cover our succeeding trips and share them to all. Indeed, we were blessed that day with strong winds and waves! To Lem and Paul I salute you guys for your passion to this hobby. Now, looking forward to the next..

#1

ISO 125 l 17mm l f4 l ."7sec l CPL l .9 ND GRAD SE l 5DMK2 l 17-40​

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Karlo,

Yesterday we decided to embark on an exploration going Southern part of Cebu. . . .

Great shot.

I find the "letterbox" presentation distracting.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Karlo,

Using the slow shutter speed created a beautiful effect of water floating a layer above the ocean around the photographer's legs. so you used a polarizing filter and then a ND filter or one with a gradient or both?

Anyway, good job! seems like you're not the only one who is willing to submerge his tripod. Might you consider giving up the black stripes on the upper and lower border.

Asher

 

[karlo reyes]

Karlo,

Using the slow shutter speed created a beautiful effect of water floating a layer above the ocean around the photographer's legs. so you used a polarizing filter and then a ND filter or one with a gradient or both?

Anyway, good job! seems like you're not the only one who is willing to submerge his tripod. Might you consider giving up the black stripes on the upper and lower border.

Asher

hi asher!

im using CPL and the nd grad for the horizon stacked, did i answer your question? Lem and paul are new friends same passion for landscape. Regarding the letterbox waaahhh, im trying to Asher hopefully a few more then I'll do away with the borders..

much respect,
karlo

 

[karlo reyes]

#2 SURGE
ISO 50 l 17mm l f4 l .3" l CPL l .9 ND GRAD SE l 5DMK2 l 17-40

 

[Asher Kelman]

This picture, especially is hurt so much by the black bars. They make no sense and distract from the effort and myriad of choice you made like the slow shutter speed and low ISO, your vantage point etc, etc. Just trim the image in Photoshop and repost with white space all around it: corrected, thanks!


This picture has an ethereal quality that you worked for. You don't want to degrade that illusion so carefully constructed. This is not a case of "could" or "should", rather a "must" to deliver, unfettered, the feelings you engraved n this work!

Asher

 

[karlo reyes]

This picture, especially is hurt so much by the black bars. They make no sense and distract from the effort and myriad of choice you made like the slow shutter speed and low ISO, your vantage point etc, etc. Just trim the image in Photoshop and repost with white space all around it.

This picture has an ethereal quality that you worked for. You don't want to degrade that illusion so carefully constructed. This is not a case of "could" or "should", rather a "must" to deliver, unfettered, the feelings you engraved n this work!

Asher

point taken asher! will do the needful this time. thanks for the inputs again, no more bars for me.

 

[karlo reyes]

#3 PULO
ISO 50 l 19mm l f6.7 l 30" l ND400 l .9 ND GRAD SE l 5DMK2 l 17-40L

 

[karlo reyes]

#2 SURGE
ISO 50 l 17mm l f4 l .3" l CPL l .9 ND GRAD SE l 5DMK2 l 17-40

 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

#2 SURGE
ISO 50 l 17mm l f4 l .3" l CPL l .9 ND GRAD SE l 5DMK2 l 17-40

Hi Karlo,

It's an interesting image, a combination of dynamic and static at the same time.
I prefer it when flipped horizontally. I'm a left to right reader and it makes my eyes stay within the edges of picture better, instead of being washed away at the bottom right corner. A more level horizon wouldn't hurt either.

Thanks for sharing these landscapes.
I enjoy looking at them.
Bart

 

[karlo reyes]

Hi Karlo,

It's an interesting image, a combination of dynamic and static at the same time.
I prefer it when flipped horizontally. I'm a left to right reader and it makes my eyes stay within the edges of picture better, instead of being washed away at the bottom right corner. A more level horizon wouldn't hurt either.

Thanks for sharing these landscapes.
I enjoy looking at them.
Bart

thanks bart. i agree the horizon i a bit off will do the needful will edit the pic.

 

[Asher Kelman]

#3 PULO
ISO 50 l 19mm l f6.7 l 30" l ND400 l .9 ND GRAD SE l 5DMK2 l 17-40L

Karlo,

This is an unusual coastal picture with the layer of beached seaweed/algae. (Is that stuff a good thing or not?). I really like this scene, but have an issue about your final crop from the vantage point of seeing it on a computer screen and not a huge print on a wall. So what I say has nothing to do with how it might be when you print it. This is a special image, somewhat hard to taken in on my 24" monitor.

The beauty of the picture, IMHO, lies in the top half, in the richly drawn colored sky, the tiny detail of the boat near the horizon and then just the triangle of beach with green at the left. The rest of the lower part could be sacrificed and the image would be stronger. We already benefit from the layer of algae in a good composition above and the magnified foreground is distracting.

I still have a feeling that I would love the picture just as shown, but in a print! As it is, the sky competes with the foreground. Whichever is less important could be cropped aggressively.

Thanks for sharing this interesting photograph.

Asher

 

[karlo reyes]

Karlo,

This is an unusual coastal picture with the layer of beached seaweed/algae. (Is that stuff a good thing or not?). I really like this scene, but have an issue about your final crop from the vantage point of seeing it on a computer screen and not a huge print on a wall. So what I say has nothing to do with how it might be when you print it. This is a special image, somewhat hard to taken in on my 24" monitor.

The beauty of the picture, IMHO, lies in the top half, in the richly drawn colored sky, the tiny detail of the boat near the horizon and then just the triangle of beach with green at the left. The rest of the lower part could be sacrificed and the image would be stronger. We already benefit from the layer of algae in a good composition above and the magnified foreground is distracting.

I still have a feeling that I would love the picture just as shown, but in a print! As it is, the sky competes with the foreground. Whichever is less important could be cropped aggressively.

Thanks for sharing this interesting photograph.

Asher

Hi Asher,

the foreground is rock formation with a thin layer of algae on top. (my description is somewhat food-like haha). I understand your composition and i didn't see that one, i didn't notice the boat in the midground either.

Hmm, while i was walking along the beach the huge rock formation just caught my attention. The spaces between are just lovely for me. So what i did i sacrificed the sky above to elongate the patches in between the rocks.

to tell you honestly, in my entire collection i haven't had a chance to print any of it. haha maybe im just to lazy to do so. Thanks asher for that interesting perspective again.

much respect,
karlo